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Barner ‘looks good’ after scary hit

The Oregon running back suffers a probable concussion after being knocked out by a hit on a kickoff return

By Rob Moseley

The Register-Guard

Appeared in print: Sunday, Oct. 10, 2010, page C7

PULLMAN, Wash. — One of the scariest scenes in recent memory for the Oregon football team unfolded during the first quarter of Saturday’s 43-23 win over Washington State in Martin Stadium.

Running back and return specialist Kenjon Barner left the field in an ambulance after being knocked out on a kickoff return. Barner lay motionless on the turf for several moments while his family and teammates worried for him, and his friend and former roommate LaMichael James appeared to break into tears on the field.

Ultimately Barner got to his feet before lying on a stretcher and being transferred by ambulance to Pullman Regional Hospital. Officials there said Saturday his condition was stable, and Barner was expected to be held overnight for observation after suffering a probable concussion.

Running backs coach Gary Campbell said Barner “does have a concussion, I think,” and had a CAT scan performed.

A WSU player’s helmet struck Barner’s jaw on the right side of this face, with Barner’s head whipping violently to the left after the hit.

Campbell said the hit on Barner seemed to him to be legal, though it was violent enough that UO linebacker Casey Matthews said the sound of the collision caught his attention even though he was blocking on the return.

“The guy just came down and got a clean hit on him,” Campbell said. “(Barner) didn’t see him, (but) it was all clean.”

WSU safety Anthony Carpenter delivered the hit, and said Barner was knocked out.

“When I saw he was down, it kind of dawned on me, ‘Oh, I didn’t mean to hurt him,’ ” Carpenter said. “I never have bad intentions.”

Barner fumbled on the play, and Washington State took just two plays to score from the 6-yard line. But Oregon outscored the Cougars 35-9 after that.

“We’re such a tight family and group right now, if we see one of our guys go down, we want to go out there and do the best job we can for them,” UO receiver Jeff Maehl said. “I think it really motivated us.”

Maehl said the hit on Barner immediately reminded him of a play a week earlier on which Stanford receiver Chris Owusu was knocked out by UO safety Javes Lewis.

“For it to happen to one of our guys and for him to be down as long as he was, not moving — really scary situation, you never like to see it,” Maehl said.

The Ducks also lost quarterback Darron Thomas in the second quarter, with an injury described by offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich as a sprained AC joint in his throwing shoulder. Both Thomas and his coaches said he could have played through the injury, though he didn’t return Saturday, leaving his status in question until Oregon’s next game, Oct. 21 against UCLA.

Thomas landed on his shoulder at the end of a run, and said it bothered him when he attempted to pass on the next play. He went to the locker room during the quarter, returned to the sideline and tried to loosen up his arm with a series of passes but ultimately spent most of the rest of the game with his right arm clutched close in to his body.

“This is the perfect resting position,” Thomas said afterward. “If I had to, I could go out and play. You’ll see me (next) Thursday against UCLA.”

Oregon’s starting quarterback was knocked out by the Cougars for the second straight season, after Jeremiah Masoli suffered a knee injury and was replaced by Nate Costa last season. Costa started the next week against UCLA last fall, and theoretically might do so again this season depending on the severity of Thomas’ injury.